Chelsea’s decision to sack Thomas Tuchel after just seven games of the new season - and 100 days into Todd Boehly’s reign as owner - shocked the footballing world as Roman Abramovich’s legacy appears to live on in his American successor.
The Blues had won three, lost two and drawn one of their opening six Premier League fixtures this season but last week’s 1-0 defeat to Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League was the final straw for Boehly, despite having spent £228.4million on new signings.
But the American businessman is already playing with fire once more as he risks losing fan favourite N’Golo Kante next summer for free, with the French midfielder already rejecting the club’s uninspiring contract renewal to his expiring deal.
As reported by The Athletic, the new Chelsea hierarchy had verbally offered Kante a two-year extension with an option for a third in August, yet that was not well received by Kante and was very quickly snubbed as he wishes for longer terms to remain in London.
The Frenchman had originally entered talks over extending his current deal last year, with former owner Abramovich ready to offer him a three-year extension with the option for another on top, but the sanctions placed on him by the UK Government prevented that from happening.
But with proceedings now in Boehly’s hands, he is only willing to offer Kante a two-year-deal, believing that the 31-year-old does not deserve another lucrative contract due to his frequent trips to the treatment room, although Kante does not share the same concerns.
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As a result, Boehly now faces backlash from the Chelsea fan base should Kante depart the club for free next summer, with the World Cup winner still serving as one of the best midfielders within the sport and having won six different trophies during his Blues career so far.
The former Leicester City man will feel hard done by if his wishes are not granted, considering Kalidou Koulibaly, also 31, was handed a four-year agreement after signing from Napoli this summer, while 33-year-old Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was handed a two year deal on deadline day after joining from Barcelona.
It isn’t just Kante whose future needs resolving either, with Euro 2020 winner Jorginho also entering the final 12 months of his current deal. Chelsea suffered at the end of last season when Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen were allowed to leave for free and it is essential that history doesn't repeat itself.
It is arguable to say that Boehly landed himself in hot water with the sacking of Tuchel last week and although it hasn’t been the best of starts to the campaign for the Blues, the German was one of the most respected managers in the club’s history.
Tuchel won the Champions League, UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup during his tenure in west London, and many saw the sacking as incredibly harsh, even if one of the league’s best and most promising managers in Graham Potter was snapped up from Brighton & Hove Albion shortly after.
But with the news of Kante’s refusal to sign a new contract breaking so soon after Tuchel’s dismissal, Boehly could risk making two huge mistakes within a very short period of time. And unless there is progress in the coming months, Kante will become the latest first-teamer to leave on a free next summer.
